To compare the concept of time, we could find that China is a past-oriented culture country, which puts much more attention on tradition and is often treated as rejecting change in a way。 On the contrary, USA is classified as a future-oriented culture country, which advocates innovation and creation, and has less regard for past social or organizational customs and traditions (Samovar and Porter 110)。文献综述

3。3。1 Chinese’s past-time orientation

     Time orientation is one important aspect of the concept of time。 People usually  determine their own position and guide their actions according to cultural emphasis on time orientation。 Because influenced by Confucian traditional culture, Chinese tend to believe that man’s nature at birth is good and the society is apt to the traditional culture。 Traditional thoughts on rules or methods continue to so far。 They were approved and even transformed into the collective unconscious, stipulating people's action。 China, one of the world’s four ancient civilizations with a splendid cultural heritage of 5,000 years, belongs to a culture that takes the past as a guide to how to live in the present。 As a Chinese proverb says, “Consider the past and you will know the present。” With distinct reverence for the past, people take the past experiences and lessons as the important reference to the today’s achievement。 Comparatively speaking, they don't care much about the unknown and unpredictable future。 When people want to do some things, they normally consider whether someone had done, and that what the successful experiences and failure lessons are。 Whatever they do, they are willing to trace back to the past and pursue smooth steady。 Old age is a sign of wisdom。 As the saying goes: “Do not listen to elders, suffer in the eyes。” Therefore the routine work has become a kind of social norms。 Linked to this is the worship of ancestors, respect for teachers, emphasis on experience and age。

     The following proverbs reflect this time concept of people:来,自,优.尔:论;文*网www.chuibin.com +QQ752018766-

     “Lessons learned from the past can guide one in the future。”

     “The older one grows, the more one learns。”

     “To forget the past is to betray”。

3。3。2 Americans’ future-time orientation

     On the contrary, affected by the "original sin" of Christianity, Americans tend to be favor of evil human nature。 Human lost paradise and came to earth to suffer blame for eating the forbidden fruit and the guilt of original sin。 Therefore, most Americans put great faith in the future。 They are constantly planning for the future, and what they are doing now is to prepare themselves for a wonderful future life。 It is so hard for them to wait to finish what they are doing that they can move on to something else。 As far as they are concerned, when one approaches the past, he is just like going after the original sin。 And there is no way back, just moving forward constantly。